You are viewing this article in the AnnArbor.com archives. For the latest breaking news and updates in Ann Arbor and the surrounding area, see MLive.com/ann-arbor
Posted on Mon, May 2, 2011 : 1:15 p.m.

Police, fire millages, school board elections on local ballots Tuesday

By Lisa Allmendinger

Voters in Dexter Township, Northfield Township, Pittsfield Township and Sharon Township will head to the polls Tuesday to decide the fate public safety millage requests, while county-wide, voters will cast their ballot on a special education millage.

In Pittsfield Township, voters will be asked to renew a 1.0 mill levy for public safety and approve an additional .95-mills for 10 years.

In Dexter Township, voters will decide on a pair of three-year millages — one is a renewal of 1.4856 mills for police services and the second is a 1.7 mill fire millage that’s an increase of 0.2144 mills.

In Northfield Township, voters will see a renewal request for 1.8684 mills for four years for police services. The Police Department operates on three millages and voters approved the other two millages previously.

In Sharon Township, voters will be asked to decide on a 0.5 mill tax levy for two years for fire protection and emergency medical services.

In addition, voters in the Chelsea and Dexter school districts will elect school board candidates, while voters throughout the county will have to decide whether to approve a special education millage.

The WISD is asking voters to approve a .985-mill renewal of the special education millage that expired in December.

The vote will determine whether schools in Washtenaw County receive approximately $14 million in reimbursements from the WISD for special education services.

Lisa Allmendinger is a regional reporter for AnnArbor.com. She can be reached at lisaallmendinger@annarbor.com.

Comments

Dog Guy

Tue, May 3, 2011 : 11:15 a.m.

Formerly we were all citizens. Now some of you admit that you are just taxpayers working to support us tax consumers. This is called progress.

Fat Bill

Mon, May 2, 2011 : 11:50 p.m.

With the most difficult special ed cases at High Point and special ed programs led largely on a county-wide level, the anti-government people are getting some of what they want; consolidation of services. In a great many of these cases, it will take an above average amount of effort to mold these young people into contributing members of society, such as the special ed advocate who posted above. The alternative is a life-long dependance on government services for the disabled, as we would miss opportunities for trained people to intervene at a young age where it does the most good. These are reasonable goals at a realistic price, they get my vote.

Just a special ed. advocate

Mon, May 2, 2011 : 8:57 p.m.

I just want to say: I was a child that was born with severe developmental disabilities due to medical malpractice and a student in the Washtenaw Schools. My parents were told that I would never go to college due to my disabilities, yet because of the fine teachers in the Ann Arbor schools who work tirelessly with me, I ended up graduating honors from high school and getting into the top university in the state of Georgia. If it was not for the funding that was spent on me to become a successful citizen of society, I would not be here at my university studying in the science area. I moved to Georgia when I was about ten years old to realize that the educational differences in Michigan and Georgia are very different. Most of us advocates in Georgia like to call it a "broom closet" style of education where they just sit you in a room and do nothing for a school day. Worst part of that reality is that disabled Americans here in Georgia do not have rights. I have often found myself in the blunt of blatant discrimination. I am part of a coalition of citizens that are working tirelessly to try to bring the programs that Michigan has to the state of Georgia. We are trying to bring the Michigan "attitude" here because you do have it right. Each and every one of those special education students are going to meet discrimination when they are older, and it is up to us as well meaning citizens of society to protect our own. Which brings me to a point: Are you that cold to purposely cut services for students in special education and set them up for failure? You think people like me were not worth it? You make me sick to my stomach because what you are preaching is what had me put into a situation where I was retaliated against for requesting services to accommodate my disability. Want to know the worst part? You are the factor in that happening. The majority of discrimination against disabled Americans comes from budget.

mojo

Mon, May 2, 2011 : 7:32 p.m.

Michigan needs to rebuild the economy first. Taxes should come second.

cinnabar7071

Mon, May 2, 2011 : 8:21 p.m.

Tom the education system is broken and throwing more money at it will do nothing. It needs to be fixed first, only a fool would vote to give them more money now.

Tom Bower

Mon, May 2, 2011 : 8:15 p.m.

Education is a foundation for a solid economy. It's time to renew our investment in the education of all Washtenaw County students.

belboz

Mon, May 2, 2011 : 6:43 p.m.

We spend $34.4 million on Special Education in Ann Arbor, per the 2010 budget. There are officially 399 special ed students receiving aid, per the 2010 budget. That is $86k per special ed student - or Full Time Equivalent. I'm not saying it isn't important, but that seems an excessive amount of money. Instead of continuing to lean on the taxpayer, I'd prefer they work on ways to streamline and make the Special Ed process more efficient. ...."But it is mandated by law...." seems a typical response to scare people into voting, but I'd prefer to see pressure on the districts to create a more efficient process. I'd suggest less individual one on one time, and more "group" sessions for special needs. If I have to write a check for my kids to participate in sports - something I think is just as important as class activities as they learn to work together and mature as kids - then perhaps those who are required to participate in Special Needs can write a check as well. Probably not a great comparison, but I'm tired of the districts looking at taxpayers and parents to fix budget issues with mileages.

mentalNomad

Tue, May 3, 2011 : 1:28 a.m.

"If I have to write a check for my kids to participate in sports - something I think is just as important as class activities as they learn to work together and mature as kids - then perhaps those who are required to participate in Special Needs can write a check as well. " So if you cannot afford the extra fees, then your kids miss out on sports. And if parents of a special needs kid cannot afford these fees, their kid does not learn to read. Are you saying these two situations are the same?

Blerg

Mon, May 2, 2011 : 11:03 p.m.

Belboz, do you delight in making up numbers that you then try to pass off as fact? Seriously, anyone that knows squat about education knows that there are closer to 399 special ed students at Pioneer alone. I can only hope that the folks reading your fictional numbers are better researchers and critical consumers than you are.

Wondering

Mon, May 2, 2011 : 10:08 p.m.

The number of special education is much higher than 399. National average is 12%. The following link assists to understand the number of students with special needs and what the needs are. <a href="http://instruction.aaps.k12.mi.us/districtwebfiles/may3millage_web.pdf" rel='nofollow'>http://instruction.aaps.k12.mi.us/districtwebfiles/may3millage_web.pdf</a> The following is a closer look at special education numbers in Ann Arbor Public.: *This year in the AAPS, 2,093 students are receiving special education services (total AAPS students enrolled: 16,569)

Cash

Mon, May 2, 2011 : 5:26 p.m.

Please voters..... remember WISD hired a new superintendent but, in an unusal move, did not give even the salary range of the newly hired superintendent....and won't do so until after the election. We the taxpayers deserve better.

Cash

Mon, May 2, 2011 : 9:37 p.m.

Then Tom, you don't disagree. No salary was disclosed. Period.

Tom Bower

Mon, May 2, 2011 : 8:12 p.m.

Sorry, but I disagree. Although no salary figure has been disclosed for the new superintendent, the salary of the previous superintendent is disclosed, along with the salaries of other top earning WISD employees... It's all transparently displayed at the following URL:<a href="http://www.wash.k12.mi.us/busservices/transparencyreporting.php" rel='nofollow'>http://www.wash.k12.mi.us/busservices/transparencyreporting.php</a> This suggests the compensation range for the position. The compensation information of those in the top 3 percent of WISD is at the following URL:<a href="http://www.wash.k12.mi.us/files/isdwebreports/salaryinfo10.pdf" rel='nofollow'>http://www.wash.k12.mi.us/files/isdwebreports/salaryinfo10.pdf</a> Given the operating budget of WISD, a superintendent compensation package of $130,000 to $150,000 is very reasonable, especially when compared to what the compensation would be for a similar position in private business. We are voting yes on May 3.

Cash

Mon, May 2, 2011 : 6:51 p.m.

Craig, Really no. Just want people to be aware. I was upset that this wasn't front page news here. So I want people to know what was back page news here....before they vote. I am sure many will vote yes anyhow as certainly is their right. I think most seniors have already voted absentee, as have I. I can't say if it is a fair salary or not. I can say that sneaky stuff really burns my behind.

Craig Lounsbury

Mon, May 2, 2011 : 6:36 p.m.

Is that a roundabout way to sublimely say &quot;vote no&quot; without actually typing the words?